I'm I making good progress?

O

OldVet61

Black Belt
@Black
Joined
Oct 27, 2003
Messages
5,310
Reaction score
0
I have just started my 5th week of weight training today and I have taken the advice I have gathered here. I've been eating much more and taking some weight gainer on the side. I've went up from approximately 164lbs to 174lbs and I'm 5'11. Here is my progress in terms of lifting per week. My goals were to gain mass and strength which I believe I'm on the right path to achieving. My question is, is my progress and routine good? Thanks.


Press Routine
Bench Press
Week 1 80lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
Week 2 90lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
Week 3 95lbs, 4 sets 12,10,8,8 reps
Week 4 100lbs, 4 sets 12,10,8,8 reps
Week 5 105lbs, 4 sets 12,10,8,8 reps

Incline Press
Week 1 45lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
Week 2 50lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
Week 3 55lbs, 4 sets 12,10,8,8 reps
Week 4 55lbs, 4 sets 12,12,11,10 reps
Week 5 60lbs, 4 sets 12 reps

Military Press
Week 1 15lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
Week 2 20lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
Week 3 20lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
Week 4 25lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
Week 5 30lbs, 4 sets 12,10,9,9

Barbell Curls
Week 1 40lbs, 4 sets 12,10,8,8 reps
Week 2 40lbs, 4 sets 12,10,8,8 reps
Week 3 40lbs, 4 sets 12,10,8,8 reps
Week 4 40lbs, 4 sets 12,12,10,10 reps
Week 5 50lbs, 4 sets 10,8,8,8

Pull Routine
Deadlift
50lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
50lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
60lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
70lbs, 4 sets 12,10,10,10 reps

Stiff Leg Deadlift
50lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
50lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
60lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
70lbs, 4 sets 12,10,10,10 reps

Bent-over Barbell Rows
40lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
40lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
40lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
50lbs, 4 sets 12 reps

Dumbbell Rows
40lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
40lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
40lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
50lbs, 3 sets 12 reps

Squat Routine
Leg Press
180lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
190lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
220lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
230lbs, 4 sets 12 reps

Pause Squats
180lbs, 4 sets 10 reps
190lbs, 4 sets 10 reps
220lbs, 3 sets 10 reps
230lbs, 4 sets 10 reps

Leg Extensions
50lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
50lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
55lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
60lbs, 4 sets 12 reps

Hamstring Curls
20lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
25lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
30lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
35lbs, 4 sets 12 reps

Calf Raises
90lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
100lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
150lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
180lbs, 4 sets 12 reps
 
Holy Crap! Look at the discrepancy between the curls and the deadlifts! I've seen some that involved bench and deadlift, but curl and deadlift.
Doode, you gotta hit the deadlift like a monster and lift hard!!
 
I was having a hard time doing 4 sets of 12 at 20lbs when curling so I just kept doing the same weight until today. I haven't rushed into deadlifting because im just starting but what recommendations does everyone have?
 
Wrecking Ball said:
Umm...glad you've gained weight man, but who put you on that routine???
Click to expand...
I made it from various resources that I gathered from this forum and changed it according to what others thought would be good. Whats wrong with it?
 
ok, do this with your deadlift: singles. high reps on deadlift are garbage. I have my GF deadlifting right now and she does 20-25 singles (30 seconds rest in between reps) with a weight she can handle. FYI, she uses 65 lbs. Start with that scheme for a couple weeks 20-25 x 1, don't go to failure. Deadlifts are a low rep exericse.
 
Urban said:
ok, do this with your deadlift: singles. high reps on deadlift are garbage. I have my GF deadlifting right now and she does 20-25 singles (30 seconds rest in between reps) with a weight she can handle. FYI, she uses 65 lbs. Start with that scheme for a couple weeks 20-25 x 1, don't go to failure. Deadlifts are a low rep exericse.
Click to expand...
Thanks Urban was hoping you would show up and give me some advice. So your saying just lift once as heavy as I can then give myself a rest for say 30 seconds then go at it again? How many should I do in total? How is the rest of my routine I'm doing?
 
I'm just really looking to be built big and strong.
 
Jeez, I'm trying to gain weight, and I can barely still break 175. I've been using the Westside for Skinny Bastards workout. I've been eating like a maniac, lean red meat, lots of eggs, protein shakes, etc... Actually, since you posted here, Urban, I have a question that you may be able to help me with.

When I'm doing a max day, it says to work up to a max of 3-5. Now, I usually start at 135 and work my way up 10lbs at a time until I get to 3 reps. Am I doing it right, or should I be trying something different?
 
Yeah, how many reps for singles? I currently doing 5x5 on Deadlifts and adding +5 lbs. after each rep.

Maybe it doesn't matter? Like a self-paced rep-scheme, meaning do as many singles as possible while adding weight ?
 
Urban has already said and I'll second it, your reps are too high!
 
Sonny said:
Urban has already said and I'll second it, your reps are too high!
Click to expand...
To gain mass and strength how many reps should I be doing? 5? 6? 8?
 
Generally for strength I would use 3-5 as a general guideline. Eat more food to get big though! You could do the occassional higher rep session every so often!
 
Sonny said:
Generally for strength I would use 3-5 as a general guideline. Eat more food to get big though! You could do the occassional higher rep session every so often!
Click to expand...
Thanks Sonny can I ask why doing higher reps won't help me gain mass or strength? I feel if I'm only doing 3-5 reps even if its as heavy as I can push I'm not doing enough. If that will make me progress more though thats what I'm going to have to start doing.
 
High reps tend to induce sarcoplasmic (fluid) growth which is pretty much a cosmetic thing, in other words it won't do a hell of a lot for you. Lower reps + heavy loads will cause myofibrillar growth which is a more chronic type of muscle growth. Trust me, stick to a solid strength routine and adjust your diet accordingly and you'll get big AND strong!
 
Sonny said:
High reps tend to induce sarcoplasmic (fluid) growth which is pretty much a cosmetic thing, in other words it won't do a hell of a lot for you. Lower reps + heavy loads will cause myofibrillar growth which is a more chronic type of muscle growth. Trust me, stick to a solid strength routine and adjust your diet accordingly and you'll get big AND strong!
Click to expand...
Ok Sonny I'm going to start doing that with my next routine so 5 sets of 5 reps is alright? What do you think about the type of exercises I have been doing is it ok for me to stick to those routines?
 
Just keep things simple and work basic lifts. Don't worry about curls and calf raises right now and start working in some pull-ups.

Focus on getting strong with the following lifts:

Squat
Bench
Military Press
Deadlift
Barbell Row
Dumbell Row
Chins/Pull-ups

For designing a routine, check out Urban's site!
 
Sonny said:
Just keep things simple and work basic lifts. Don't worry about curls and calf raises right now and start working in some pull-ups.
Click to expand...
LOL I've only been doing curls and calf raises cause my arms and calf areas are so thin. Thanks for your advice I appreciate it.
 
What confuses me is people tell you to do lower reps, is that ONLY for the main compound movements; BP, DL, SQ, and then the rest like 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps, i.e. Barbell Bent over rows.

This is what my Bench workout looks like:

Flat BP: 5x5
Close grip: 3x8
Dips: 3x8
Tate Press: 3x8

So confused.
 
Zeirhk said:
What confuses me is people tell you to do lower reps, is that ONLY for the main compound movements; BP, DL, SQ, and then the rest like 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps, i.e. Barbell Bent over rows.

This is what my Bench workout looks like:

Flat BP: 5x5
Close grip: 3x8
Dips: 3x8
Tate Press: 3x8

So confused.
Click to expand...

How is that confusing? BP is generally the heaviest pressing movement most people can do, dl is the heaviest pulling motion, and squat is the heaviest leg motion. You use heavy loads on those excercises to stimulate cns recruitment, and higher reps on assistance work to stimulate hypertrophy in specific muscle groups, ensure proper and full range of motion (especially important for exercises like good mornings, rdl's, etc.) and increase work capacity by getting a decent amount of volume in, something you can't do if the weights you are using are too high.

To the threadstarter, I would be a little hesitant before taking the advice of some of the posters on this thread. While deadlifting singles is a good idea regardless of your level of experience, if you have only been lifting for five weeks, a few more weeks in the 8-12 rep range might be a good idea. While I don't presume to know more about lifting than any of the previous posters, a couple of months of lifting lighter weights with higher reps is usually advocated for beginners to prepare their bodies for lifting heavier weights down the road by strengthening connective tissue. For beginners, you can still gain muscle mass without using heavy weights, and prevent injury by sticking to higher volume, lower intensity workouts. I find it hard to believe that you spent that much time reading if you are doing leg press, extensions, curls and calf raises on leg day. Squat/dl variations will do everything those exercises do and a whole lot more in half the time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,237,043
Messages
55,463,527
Members
174,786
Latest member
JoyceOuthw

Share this page

Back
Top